# AD 81-05-03: Fuel tank shut-off valve modification

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Current
- Products: JR Aerosports Firefly 5, Firefly 6, Firefly 6B, Firefly 7, Firefly 7B and Firefly 8-24
- Effective: March 11, 1981
- Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD
- Product type: Aircraft, Balloon
- Amendment: 39-4053
- Registered aircraft: 189 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/0791990BC7FFCA7B86256A4E004CD730.0001
- DRS record last changed: May 30, 2024
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-05-03

## The airworthiness directive

81-05-03 THE BALLOON WORKS: Amendment 39-4053. Applies to Firefly Models 5, 6, 6B, 7, 7B and 8-24 series hot air balloons equipped with Fire 2 auxiliary heaters incorporating The Balloon Works fuel tanks part numbers BW 3229-A through BW 3229-N and BW 3307-A through BW 3307-H, certificated in all categories.

Compliance required within the next 10 hours time in service after the effective date of this AD, unless already accomplished.

To prevent inadvertent operation of the Fire 2 heater system during a hard landing, even though the tank valve has been closed, accomplish the following:

Modify the Fire 2 fuel tank shut-off valve in accordance with The Balloon Works Service Bulletin B12 dated December 15, 1980, or later FAA approved revision, or an equivalent method approved by the Chief, Engineering and Manufacturing Branch, Southern Region.

Make an appropriate maintenance record showing compliance with this AD.

This amendment becomes effective March 11, 1981.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS A14SO](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/A14SO): JR Aerosports Ltd.; names 6 of 28 models: Firefly 8-24, Firefly 6, Firefly 7B, Firefly 6B, Firefly 5, Firefly 7

## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs)

Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment.

- Aircraft: 189 (189 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Balloon Works 180, Firefly Balloons 5, Firefly Balloons 2010 3, Medema/Balloon Works 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7): 129 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 7-B](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-7-b): 26 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-6b): 12 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 5](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-5): 5 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 8-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-8-24): 5 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Balloon Works FIREFLY 6](https://openairdocs.org/model/balloon-works-firefly-6): 3 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 7B](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-7b): 3 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Firefly Balloons 2010 FIREFLY 5](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-2010-firefly-5): 2 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Medema/Balloon Works FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/medema-balloon-works-firefly-7): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-7): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Firefly Balloons FIREFLY 6B](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-firefly-6b): 1 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Firefly Balloons 2010 FIREFLY 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/firefly-balloons-2010-firefly-7): 1 aircraft (airframe model)

All 12 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-05-03/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/81-05-03/aircraft.md

Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.